DONALD Trump is set to introduce sweeping travel restrictions on 43 countries, including Russia and Belarus, in a dramatic immigration crackdown.
A new policy is being discussed that categorizes countries into three groups, each facing different levels of visa restrictions. The plan, which is not yet finalized, outlines full visa suspensions for some nations and partial restrictions for others.
As per a document obtained by The New York Times, Russian travelers may experience significant limitations on their visas, while those from Belarus could also encounter restricted access to the United States.
Nations on the list have been warned they will remain banned unless their governments “address deficiencies within 60 days.”
The draft policy highlights 11 nations, such as Afghanistan, Cuba, Iran, and North Korea, as facing the most stringent measures, including complete visa suspensions.
A second group of 10 nations would face partial suspensions affecting tourist, student, and immigration visas, with some exceptions.
A third group of 22 countries could also see visa issuance restricted if they fail to address security concerns.
These alleged issues include weak passport security, inadequate traveler data sharing, or the sale of citizenships to individuals from already-banned nations.
A U.S. official told The New York Times that the list could still change and has yet to receive final approval from the administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Flashback to the ‘Muslim Ban’
The move echoes Trump’s controversial 2017 travel ban, which targeted several Muslim-majority countries before being overturned by Joe Biden in 2021.
Some nations from the original ‘Muslim Ban’ list appear again, but the new proposal expands significantly.
Critics have questioned why certain nations – such as Bhutan, known for its low crime rate – are included, while major global players like China and India are absent.
Rich businessmen and visa holder from some affected nations could still enter the U.S. under a restricted category.
But they would need to attend mandatory in-person interviews to secure travel approval, The New York Times reports.
‘Gold card’ visas
Trump previously announced he wants to begin selling gold card visas for $5million to foreigners who want to move to America and create jobs.
The US president revealed the immigration programme in late February, which could start in a matter of weeks.
He added it is possible Russian oligarchs could qualify for the gold cards, which were branded as “somewhat like a green card, but at a higher level of sophistication”.
Trump said in the Oval Office: “We’re going to be putting a price on that card of about $5 million and that’s going to give you Green Card privileges, plus it’s going to be a route to citizenship.
“Wealthy people will be coming into our country by buying this card.
“They’ll be wealthy and they’ll be successful and they’ll be spending a lot of money and paying a lot of taxes and employing a lot of people.
“And we think it’s going to be extremely successful and never been done before.”
Howard Lutnick, Secretary of Commerce, explained that the Trump administration intends to end the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program and “replace it with the Trump gold card.”
The EB-5 program grants investors the opportunity to apply for permanent U.S. residence if they “make the necessary investment in a commercial enterprise in the United States” and intend to generate or sustain 10 permanent full-time jobs.
Lutnick described the EB-5 program as “full of nonsense, make-believe and fraud,” adding, “It was a way to get a green card that was low priced.”
Once vetted, gold card holders “can invest in America and we can use that money to reduce our deficit,” he said.
The president projected that the gold card will attract “very high level people” who contribute to job creation.
